English Composition: Research and Writing

This writing course introduces students to discourse, research, and research writing for the purpose of proposing solutions to problems.

Rather than learning about these subjects in the abstract, students will learn by engaging with local problems and issues in their communities. To achieve this, students will learn how to:

Develop an actionable central research question

Propose a research project

Conduct primary and secondary research

Design an action-oriented research project for web publication

Proposing solutions to local problems requires grounding research in the local context and communicating clear solutions and calls for action that are understandable and relevant to local audiences.

Students will learn how to conduct research, write about a particular issue, and construct a call to action based upon their research.

This is a unique English course because students will directly learn about the power and pleasures of writing. By engaging with local questions and problems, students will have the opportunity to enter into important discussions and possibly create meaningful changes in the lives of those around them. Students will create a digital portfolio that enables them to publish and share their research and writing.

This course will interest individuals who want to learn more about how to create change in the world through research and writing. This class will also interest those who want to learn how to compose in a digital environment.

If you wish to earn university credit for the course, we will ask you to complete a portfolio in which you demonstrate what you have learned. Specifically, you will address what you have learned in the course and provide evidence that you have acquired the skills and knowledge taught during the course. Credit earned will count as ASU’s First-Year Composition course. However, it is strongly encouraged that you consult with your institution of choice to determine how these credits will be applied to their degree requirements prior to transferring the credit.